Grameenphone, Bangladesh’s largest mobile operator, has received an allocation letter from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) for 10 MHz of spectrum in the 700 MHz band, marking the first such assignment in the country.
The spectrum has been allocated for 13 years following the completion of regulatory requirements.
Grameenphone is expected to contribute around Tk 2,200 crore to the national exchequer over the allocation period, according to the company.
Low-band spectrum such as 700 MHz is valued for its ability to cover wider areas with fewer base stations, making network expansion faster and more cost-effective.
It also improves indoor signal penetration, particularly in dense urban settings including offices, hospitals, shopping centres and high-rise buildings, while strengthening coverage in rural, coastal and hard-to-reach regions.
Grameenphone said the allocation would support improvements to its 4G network and help prepare for future technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. The operator currently serves around 83.9 million subscribers nationwide.
Yasir Azman, chief executive of Grameenphone, said the company would follow the spectrum fee with further investment for nationwide rollout.
“Low-band spectrum plays an essential role in enhancing network performance and user experience, while also enabling future-ready technologies,” he said, adding that the process had been conducted transparently by the regulator and the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology.
The allocation comes as Bangladesh seeks to expand digital connectivity and improve mobile broadband quality amid growing demand for data services.